At the press conference, Kristersson did not take a position on whether Sweden will hand over to Turkey persons whom Turkey considers to be terrorists. Over the weekend, the Swedish government announced a new Kurdish line that sympathizes with Turkey.
15:56•Updated 20:15
Negotiations on Sweden’s NATO membership will continue in Stockholm at the end of November. The President of Turkey told about it today Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Prime Minister of Sweden Ulf Kristersson has today held talks with Erdoğan in Ankara. The theme of the visit was the ratification of Sweden and Finland’s NATO membership.
According to Erdogan, the NATO process has slowed down because of Sweden’s attitude.
According to Erdoğan, Sweden meets the criteria for NATO membership, but in the fight against terrorism, Sweden still needs to improve.
– Sweden wants NATO for its own security. We, on the other hand, want Sweden to see our security concerns, Erdoğan summed up his message to Sweden.
Turkey has not yet accepted Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO applications because it expects a clearer commitment from Sweden in the fight against terrorism.
Erdoğan said he wants to see progress from Sweden on the issue before the meeting at the end of November.
Madrid contract on display
Finland and Sweden have promised Turkey that they will not support the Kurdish organizations YPG or PYD. The promise was made at the June NATO summit in Madrid.
Erdoğan said at the press conference that he considers it important that the Madrid agreement is adhered to.
Erdoğan welcomed the new Kurdish policy of the Swedish government, which sympathizes with Turkey.
– Sweden understands Turkey’s concern, Kristersson said at the press conference.
– I have suggested ways in which Sweden can help combat the threat posed by terrorist organizations.
Kristersson said that the Swedish government decided last week to support NATO’s anti-terrorism fund with one million euros.
Kristersson stated earlier in the day, according to the news agency Reuters, that Sweden’s bourgeois government also intends to take a tougher stance against crime and terrorism.
Turkey: Surrenders can be negotiated
Turkey demands that Sweden and Finland end support for organizations and individuals it classifies as terrorists, in order for it to accept the countries’ NATO membership.
In addition, Turkey demands that Finland and Sweden hand over persons they consider terrorists to Turkey. The list includes, among other things, Kurds who came to Sweden as asylum seekers.
According to Turkey, the amounts to be handed over can be negotiated, but some persons Turkey definitely wants to be handed over.
At the press conference, Erdoğan even mentioned one person whose extradition Turkey will not negotiate.
According to Sweden’s Kristersson, Sweden aims to strengthen friendly relations with Turkey in order to strengthen the security of both countries. According to Kristersson, Sweden does not engage in dialogue with representatives of terrorist organizations.
– Sweden understands that Turkey has fought a bloody battle against the terrorists of the Kurdish organization PKK, Kristersson said.
Sweden changed its Kurdish policy to support Turkey
Sweden’s new government announced over the weekend that it would distance itself from the Syrian Kurdish armed organization YPG and its political wing, the PYD.
Erdogan’s spokesman Fahrett’s Altun wrote on Monday In Aftonbladet (you switch to another service)that Turkey has two demands for Sweden: that Sweden waives restrictions on defense industry exports and that Sweden takes Turkey’s concerns about terrorist organizations seriously.